Notes / Commercial Description:
Everyone knows some of our best friends are wine growers from the Libourne region in France, more specifically those who make Saint Emillion and Pomerol. They respect the tradition and let their wine ferment in a natural way.

Fermentation, origin and vintage are still kept up.

Our collaboration resulted in a product uniting the best of their wine and of our beer : the Saint-Lamvinus.

The grapes, of the merlot and cabernet-franc varieties, are soaked in Bordeaux barrels containing two to three years old lambic. The beer is not blended before the bottling. The foam is caused by the addition of a liquor which starts the fermentation.

Reviews by selecter70:

A birthday bottle for my wife that I chose on a whim, a bit pricey but the occasion warranted it. I figured that she loves lambics & wine, so....The bottle poured a brighter than expected purple with pink edges to a light pink head that dissipated quickly & left a wee amount of lace afterwards. The aroma had a sour vinegar and wine-soaked cloth quality. The flavor definitely evokes the merlot, but is more complex as it shifts in even one sip from a tart & sweet cherry to vinegar sour and then changes to a flat but bright, crisp wine. The body is light, bubbly and easy to drink. A very interesting beer, but definitely worth it.

More User Reviews:

Lots of grape in flavor, but also lemon-lime, grapefruit, and brine. Raspberry develops as it warms. It's a little lactic, but overall more acetic, yet it's balanced and very well-made, as I'm not getting any hint of impending acid reflux whatsoever.

Tangy and crisp with a medium to high level of sourness, finishing very dry.

Reviewing this from my notes after enjoying with Mrs. LambicP as part of an anniversary celebration a couple months ago. Thanks to great BA F2brewers for hooking me up with this long-time want of mine. Enjoyed out of a green 750 mL bottle with the back label indicating it as a 2013 batch. Poured into a Duvel chalice.

Appearance (4.75) - Pours an enchantingly translucent carmine color with, appropriately, highlights (lowlights?) of merlot and burgundy. On the very edge of the glass, where the density is the lowest and the light is able to pass through the easiest, there is a swath of bright crimson. Atop the body sits a finger of effervescent head that is pinkish off-white. Retention is short-lived, receding to a smattering of bubbles around the glass and on the surface of the liquid. Minor, almost nonexistent lacing.

Smell (4.5) - Initially, the acidity offers the first salvo, rising out of the glass to bring notes of black cherry and merlot grapes to accompany a pleasant woody tannic quality. Wonderfully, the two worlds--wine and lambic--work together in a very pleasing manner. And as it warms, there is that Cantillon "house" funkiness that imparts a complex element of musty cellar.

Taste (4.5) - The taste presents a little more fruit presence, with the acidity from the aroma still present, but softer, allowing the fruity notes to present themselves in a complementary way. Still, that same funkiness and excellent barrel-toned mustiness are present to keep this firmly in the realm of lambic. Like so many Cantillons, it is sour, but not face-meltingly so like some of the up-and-coming American wild ales. There is a healthy balance of acidity and more earthy notes so that it's easy enough to take a full 750 to the dome without having to down a bottle of Tums.

Feel (4.5) Medium-bodied and moderate carbonation, with a drying finish and a nice gentle pucker on the tastebuds.

Overall (4.5), another fantastic showing from Cantillon, and while I can't say it's my favorite offering of theirs, the use of wine grapes really sets it apart and makes this a beer worth having again and again.

It's always a pleasure to sit down with such a prized beer. The lure and legendary status of Saint Lamvinus makes is appetizing and intimidating.

The beer bursts with fragrance before it even settles into the tulip glass. A billowing head of light burgundy color rises with an airy and musty quality. Vineous (as merlots should), tart, and acidic notes give a little perk to the brow and a twinge to the jawls- surely sour, astringent, and sharply acidic. Berries, grapes, and plumbs are all represented well in the nose, along with a woodsy, dusty, attic-like, musk that gives the unusual character that only brettanomyaces can.

Much more fruity and less sour to taste as it seemed by the smell. Expansive flavors of vineous merlot wine, but with the body and carbonation of a typical lambic to differentiate it from the true wine character. Again, the tartness of the wild yeasts give the beer a lot more complexity than is usually found in red wines. Berries, grapes, and plumbs dominate with a close back-up of apple cider vinegars and a cork-like wood taste. The musty, dusty, attic-ey notes don't carry over to the taste; just stopping at the nose. Still, a briney-Orval taste brings a somewhat salty-metalic taste that adds complexity rather than distorts it.

The blend of yeasts have cut through the barley malts and reduced them to nearly that of heavier red wines. Still, a mild malt flavor gives a bit of weight, maltiness, and substance to keep it from ultimate thinness. Still, acidic to cut through and residual sweetness. Pleasantly astringent all the way, giving a clean, refreshing tartness that challenges the palate but never overwhelming it.

Ok, the beer falls a bit too far on the wine side of things for me. I appreciate the clean, well-attenuated malt and fruit blends but the beer doesn't leave the malt backbone that I appreciate most. The first sip led me to beleive that this 750 mill. session would be laborous and tiresome but after 45 minutes, the glass is dry. Very drinkable, the beer evaporates on the tongue and leaves a powdery, fruity finish. Understandible why this beer ranks among the best.

On tap at Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà in Rome, Italy. Really good. Dark mysterious purple beer. Smells like Cantillon, grape-heavy. Not too sour, a little sweet. Very fruity. Well done. Bought a bottle of 2015 to take home, I expect that to be a bit better.

First things first, a beef with the presentation: a beer of this caliber should have a bottling date. From the bottle, purchased at the Map Room for $40, there was absolutely no indication as to whether this was a 2001, 2002, or 2003 vintage. It didnt reduce my enjoyment of the beer but I would have liked to have known for future reference.

As for the beer itself Cantillons St. Lamvinus is perfect.

Appearance: Pours into a white wine glass with a strong effervescent surge that leaves a ¼ inch, lovely pink head. The head dies off quickly but the body doesnt disappoint. St. Lamvinus presents a deep, sexy purpled pink body. Color is not dissimilar to New Glaruss Raspberry tart. St. Lamvinus is much deeper, however, and not particularly cloudy.

Aroma: Barnyard funk and vinegar balance flawlessly by sweet grape juice. Light amounts of cobwebs and dirt, oak tannins, and wet leather are found too but at the end of the day one has more of an impression of absolute cohesiveness then individualy unique attributes. I carry away a sense that is now possible, against the odds, for a beer to offer much, indeed most, of the character of a rabid geuze without offending. Likewise, I now see the possibilities of using grapes as a primary component of beer without creating a concoction that is either cloyingly sweet or overly wine like.

Taste: All of the attributes of a fine Bordeaux blended without defect with the entire range of excellent properties of the best lambics.

Drinkability: Undoubtedly one of the most drinkable beers I have consumed to date.

Was it worth it? Yes and no To try once, it was absolutely worth it. To drink regularly, I would have to say it would not be. For my dollar, I would take Oude Beersel or Hansens kriek geuzes on a regular basis over this. Still, I have to admit that a beer so well crafted is most certainly deserving of its high price. God bless Cantillon for this.

Huge thanks to Kevin R for bringing this to our tasting - Cantillon is always a treat. Saint Lamvinus pours like a garden of rubies with indigo hints. Good clarity all around, with a pink tinted head that makes no attempt to be quiet as it fizzles and eventually fades into nothing put a lavender collar around the crimson brew.

Cantillon's brewery is crawling with critters and they are some of the best critters in the world. You can pick these critters out of any line-up if you have even a semi-functional nose. Funky barnyard, musky cork, sweaty articles of expensive clothing, and a trifecta of dirt, earth, and must. Often imitated, never duplicated - no one does funk like this.

Vinous are present as well, like this was a well aged Cheval Blanc; dripping-wet oak barrels, sour grapes, wine-like acidity, and hints of vinegar in the back end. Grape, tannin, grape, tannin, sour, sour, funky, funky. The nose on this is simply beautiful; As with most Cantillon, I'm having a hard time getting my nose away from the glass long enough to take a sip.

One sip and Cantillon drops it heavy like Saint Lamvinus was Skrillex and grapes were the bass. Boom! A vinous explosion on the palate; tart, sour grapes, mild and bitter acidity, faint cherry skins, heaps of woody oak, and the funk of one thousand barnyard floors. Horse, cork, hay, sweaty feet, and grapes like you wouldn't believe.

Saint Lamvinus masters the art of making a beer that resembles a wine while keeping it accessible to people (like myself) who actually are not big fans of wine. It's that mouth clenching, ass puckering sourness, that stomach ripping acidity, and that nostril curling funk. Effervescence is big; plenty of carbonation with a fading, ghostly mouth feel and a sharp, dry finish.

Cantillon does it again, and I can't say that I'm surprised. These are the beers you hear about when you first start getting into craft beer. All your buds talk about this "Cantillon" place like it's some kind of holy grail for beer, and eventually months and months go by and you finally get to try one, and all of a sudden you're talking about it like you're some kind of sour expert. This shit is excellent; why does it have to be so far from me?

T: Plenty of tart fruit flavors with a prominent but subtle character of grapes. Noticeable taste of fruit pits. A light sweetness balances the tartness and the acidity that is gaining momentum. Not very funky, but there's definitely a taste of hay. In general, the taste have some similarities with a tart fruity sparkling wine. Subtle note of wheat, basically no barley. The finish is sour with notes of grass, earth, nuts and fruits.

M: Light body, very tingling in the mouth due to a lively carbonation. The finish is slightly dry. Excellent.

D: A fantastic lambic, a real work of art. The character of a sparkling wine this one showcases is fantastic. Highly recommended.

I had it on draft at Capone's in Norristown, PA. It poured a strawberry-red color, and while it looked thick, the texture was fine and smooth. The tangy grapefruit flavor prevents it from going down smooth, however. The sourness forces you to hold it in your mouth and that's when other flavors become apparent. I tasted some light berry and grape notes that gave a slight sweetness to balance the sour. The smell is not sweet, as it had a strong, funky barnyard odor. This is not a fruity beer for framboise fans. This one is perfect for Cantillon and geuze fanatics. Let it warm up and the flavor will be very enjoyable.

S - Lots of funk with some lactic sourness, hints of grapes and earthy notes.

T - Very similar to the smell. It's heavy on the red wine characteristics and this is where the bordeaux really shines. Lots of varying grape flavor. A fairly mild sourness through out with a very strong oak finish.

Having this be my first true Lambic will for sure make all other that I have pale in comparison. This one poured a great ruby red color with with not too much head but a great ammount of bubbles that added greatly to the visual appeal. The smell was nice and sour, with sour grape notes and sharp cheese scents. The taste was wonderfull with a great dry flavor of citrus and vinegar. The stuff was so smoothe I could have had the whole bottle! This is a beer to behold for sure.

Todd the beer guy at McKean and Charles in Waldoboro got this beer and then cellared it for me until I managed to get up there for it. Just a quick plug to try his establishment. I was saving this beer for a special occasion. Nothing special was on the horizon, so I broke down and drank it after holding it for a month. A 750ml bottle, with the label stating it was bottled 25Oct2006. Poured into a tulip glass, it was an amazing ruby red color with a touch of orange. A small head quickly dissipated, leaving a very still beer. It had a fruity aroma which seemed mostly cherry, and was also on the musty side (I mean that in a good way). Pleasant fruity taste, but what really was really striking was the degree of tartness. I've had other lambics from Cantillon that were nowhere near this tart. A wonderful, smooth beer. Great to drink, although I couldn't do a steady diet of lambics. Share this with your wife or significant other.